EIS’ 2016 sales fell by 6 percent, but its 2017 figure will be helped by its April
acquisition of Empire Wire and Supply — a $55 million distributor specializing
in automation solutions and robotics industrial supply. Larry Griffin took over as
company in January after Bob Thomas retired. The company says: “2016 was a
challenging year to grow sales and we experienced industrial decline tied to the oil
and gas market. We consolidated a number of facilities into larger zone warehouses
to better serve our customer base.”

F. W. Webb’s sales increased 4. 2 percent in 2016 as the company hit the $1 billion
mark in revenue and added five more locations since last year’s Big 50 List. This
past June, F. W. Webb acquired Vernon, NJ-based Master Wholesale Supply, marking
the company’s fifth location in New Jersey. It is also nearing completion of its new
massive distribution center in Londonderry, NH that will span nearly 1 million square
feet. The company says: “F. W. Webb never stays still. We are committed to exploring
opportunities, investing in the business, adding resources, offerings and locations,
and overall continuously improving to serve customers exceptionally well.”

DXP was hit hard by the oil and gas downturn 2015-2016, with 2016 sales down
nearly 23 percent to under the $1 billion mark. The company sold off its Vertex
Holdings subsidiary — an industrial fasteners master distributor — to Houston
Wire & Cable last October for $32 million. Year-over-year sales declines continued
through the first half of 2017, though sales improved sequentially.

2016 was a year of transition for ERIKS. Growth in its food and beverage,
pharmaceutical and machine construction sectors offset a decline in oil and gas-related industries, resulting in sales that were relatively flat compared to 2015.
The company says a newly-appointed management team has positioned ERIKS for
growth with a focus on reducing total cost of operations for its MRO customers,
improving product performance for OEM customers and providing competitive
packages for its engineering, procurement and construction customers.

Last year was the first time Global Industrial was recognized on our list, and they
enhance their status by moving up three spots as sales improved by 2. 4 percent.
Global comprises 98 percent of Systemax’s industrial products group, which
surpassed $200 million in quarterly sales for the first time ever in Q2 2017. Global
acquired Milwaukee-based Plant Equipment Group in January of 2015.